The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-24
THINK ABOUT 1T.

The registration officers having COM
pleted their work, their lists present
some startling figures. In many of the
districts the total registration falls
considerably short of the vote cast at
the last lection, when not more than
one-third of the registered voters cast
their ballots. Some time ago a very
careful examination OF the registration
and the poll lists was made and it
developed the fact that, for the Terri
tory, little above two fflhs of the
names of those on the registration lists
we're of women, and slightly less
than two-ffths Of the votes cast were
boiled by wo men. It may therefore be
concluded that the disfranchisement
d women deprived, as near as
nay be, two-ffths of the hitherto
Toting population of the right
VJts. But this ought not to
recount for the remarkable fall
ng of in the registration. Either the
egistra-ion lists before were fearfulIy
overloaded and unreliable, bearing
hundreds Of names OF persons not en-
tiled TO vote, or those who have de-
lined 10 take the oath are greatly in
zcess OF the number which it was ex.
ected would refuse to swallow the
Ruseous dose. One thing is very plain,
nd it is thing which should set the
Did, influential, interested men in the |
Immunity to thinking. Throughout |
re country at large the ratio of those
ltltied TO vote to the whole population |
IS one to five and half. Thus a
'mparatiVely small proportion of the
,ople exercise absolute political con-
ol of the national, state AM NUM-
pal governments; but if the registra-
On Just closed in this Territory is an
dicstion of what the voting and
Hca-holding strength of the people is
be, the political control will be exer
sed by smaller percentage than en-
Us it in any other part of the United
stes. There is at least one large pre-
net in this city in which the registra.
IN is not equal to one in fifteen of the
pulation; it is doubtful if tae regis
atom for the entire city will show
eater ratio than one to fifteen. AS
more than so per cent. of the regis
ed voters take the trouble to vote.
2 political power will be confined to
ere handful of tee community.
This is matter demanding the sober,
ious consideration Of all classes of
)perty-holders. Gentiies, as well as
b-mons, are interested in it. Those
o brought on this infamous legisla-
q did not think of the result, or else
ey wee reckless and vicious in the
IRENE. The public welfare is none
} safe when the suffrage is possessed
all who are interested in the general
ID of the community; if when pol
al power is held and control exercised
one in FIVE that power and control
employed to Cypress the majority,
here not eminently greater danger ,
en- one has in his ballot the absolute l
iticai control of fifteen of his felIowsP /
danger is greater in this community I
n it would be elsewhere, because of i
fact that many of the leading men c
among the distranchised, the prop i
interest Of these men being perhaps y
alter than that of all those who can r
e and hold Office.
mere should be an earnest, intelligent t
TT put forth to induce more trust r
thy citizens to place their names on
list and thus place themselves in a
ition to protect the public from the O
sible abuse of power by an insight =
Mt minority.